Phantom Blade
by ChocolateSins
Summary: Adoption from Hetalia43v3r. Danny Fenton has had enough of the lies and masks he has to wear,not just around his family,but everyone in his life. Contains swearing,self-harm,angst,and general depression. Do not read if this is troubling for you. Danny/Vlad warning in future chapters. Rated M for a reason loves. Took over from ch5. Changes to previous chapters.
1. The start of a bad habit

**[Hey Listen!: This story is originally from Hetalia43v3r,their profile is in my bio until I can link it here. I have been given permission to adopt this story to continue it. Details have been posted on my profile of my availability to post updates. I have made some alterations to the original 4 chapters,so please start from here. Thank you and feel free to review.]**

Danny's P.O.V.

I sighed, staring out of the window of the GAV. We were going on a family vacation. Not that I minded, I really needed a vacation, but I had a feeling something bad was going to happen.

I snapped back in reality, "-if we find a ghost on this trip, I'll rip them apart, molecule by molecule!" My dad shouted. Well at least he was excited, every time I hear that, I feel even more depressed. Sure my parents didn't KNOW they were threatening their own son, but it only reminds me of how I lie to them. It wasn't even a small white lie,I was the very thing they hunted,studied,everything. How would they even react if I told them? Probably down to the last molecule. I felt a hand on my own, and turned to Jazz, she was giving me an apologetic smile, probably for having such weird parents. I have to lie to Jazz too, and that only darkens my mood more. She was so trusting,so honest,so...not me. She was by far the golden child of the two of us,smart and witty,quick to adapt and forgiving. No matter how much I lied to her,she either never thought that her little brother would lie to her,or trusted her belief thay I would open up to her. I couldn't though,and if she knew that It's break her heart. So for both of our sakes,even if it'd save me a little bit of pain,I couldn't tell her the truth,she deserved better than that.

 _'Better than me.'_

We pull into the campground, and start to unload. "Hey, you know you can talk to me about anything, right Danny?" Jazz asks, I contemplate telling her, but I know I can't, so I swallow the lump in my throat, and give her a fake smile, "Yeah of course, you're my sister." With every word, it gets harder and harder to keep my voice from cracking, and despite my best efforts, it cracks on the last word, 'sister'.

She's my sister; and I'm lying to her face. I don't know how much more of this I can take, especially without Sam or Tuck.

I finish putting up the tent Jazz and I will use, and tell my folks I'm going out in search of firewood. Another lie.

I walk off, until I feel I am far enough away from the campsite that no one will hear me, and I cry. At first, it was easy to lie to my family, I had managed to convince myself that they were little white lies, no harm done, but as I continued, it got harder and harder.

I felt alone, completely and utterly alone, and that's when I saw it, a pocket knife, probably dropped by a hiker, and from the back of my mind, I feel the urge. That tiny voice saying, 'come on, do it!' And I reach my trembling arm out, picking up the knife.

I flip it open, and the clean, shining, silver both calms and frightens me. Although the thought popped into my head far too easily,was I really that bad off to consider it? Would it really fix anything? Would anyone really care? Jazz would,at first anyway,maybe not if she knew when I started lying to her. I press the coolness of the blade against my skin,and the internal debate tilted as the sharp sting brings me out of my head. The heartache lessened by a physical pain,present but dulled,leaving something I can focus on instead of pain inside my head. It was almost I look at my wrist, the worst blow hits me, the sharp reminder that I am a freak, not human, and will never have a normal life. The ectoplasm in my blood, the slap in the face that told me that I did not belong with them. Even now I could feel the cut,shallow as it was,closing faintly and leaving a coolness behind. I pulled my wrist close to myself,the painful nagging of my thoughts buzzing in the background,behind a strange numbness thay crept into my chest. My mind came to Jazz again,and the look of disappointment that would surely be on her face if she ever saw this.

 _'That's right,I'm just a disappointment.'_ The thought popped up on its own,unwelcome but none the less true. I could delay the realization that surely would come,but the facts wouldn't change. I was weak,how many times had my enemies made that clear? Sure I beat them,but it was luck,and eventually my luck would run out. I don't know how long I sat there,but the bleeding stopped and soon a small line was all that was left. I stood,pocketing the knife and walked back towards camp with the slight weight as a silent reminder.


	2. Seed of Doubt

Chapter 2: Seed of Doubt

After a week of lying, hiding my cuts, and family vacation time, I got home, and collapsed on my bed. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves, and fiddle with the pocket knife, I found that it eases my anxiety. I get up and walk to my closet, it's time for a new outfit, I don't want anyone seeing my scars that laced up my inner arms. It was times like this I hated how pale my skin was compared to some of the other boys in my grade,and while a couple of the scars thay hadn't healed could be called scratched from camping,not all of them and certainly not this many. It almost became a ritual,an addiction,something sweet and painful.

I walk into school on Monday, and Tucker and Sam are delighted to see me,. They both waiting by our lockers and I felt a swelling in my chest, I'm so happy to see them, but there's something else too, anxiety, and fear. I'm afraid they'll find out.

"Hey, you changed your look! Nice!" Tucker points out, and in response I look down at my new shirt and jacket, "You think?" I ask, unsure. "Yeah, glad to see you kept the jeans and converse though!" He laughs. "I have been wearing the same look for a year and a half now, I figured it was time for a change." I shrugged, hoping to god no one would get suspicious. I glanced at Sam, if a long sleeve shirt AND jacket wasn't suspicious, I would be in the cool.

To my very dread, she gave me a look that nearly gave me a panic attack right there, but then she smiled slightly, "Yeah, it looks good on you." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and we walked off to class together. I was good.

After the most stressful day of school ever, I walked home with Sam and Tucker, and a sudden thought occurred to me, did I even put away my pocket knife? It still had some dried blood and ectoplasm on it, Sam would be able to put two and two together, and Tucker would be stupid enough to point it out. In the midst of my panic attack, a part of me was surprised I started calling it MY pocket knife, I mean, I had stolen it. Sure it was from the woods,but it still wasn't mine,not really.

For the first time in my life, I was relieved to feel my ghost sense go off. "Sam, Tuck, cover me!" I whisper yelled, diving into an alleyway and behind a dumpster, before transforming and flying out.

After the fight, which was easy, I turned to Sam and Tuck, "Hey, I better get this ghost back in the Ghost Zone as soon as possible, see you guys at my place!" I turned myself invisible as rushed to hide the evidence, the thought that I was now also lying to my best friends make me depressed. I could tell them, but I never wanted them to see me like that. How would that even go without me sounding crazy? Well crazier than I was. Tucker would probably be confused on the why,even if I managed to explain it. Sam...might understand it,but she'd probably try and tell me to get help,to talk to someone,but how would that fix anything when so much of my life is kept a secret from my own family,when my own family would happily tear me apart for existing. Or half existing.

Sam and Tuck arrived just as everything was in place, the evidence was hidden and the ghost was in the Ghost Zone. My thoughts were scattered and my heart was beating a million miles N hour,but all physical evidence was hidden.

I heard them bounding up the stairs, and in my haste to pull my sleeve down I brushed against the scab, and hissed in pain. I pulled a smile on my face just as they opened the door.

"You know, you need to be careful with what you wear, that black tee, with that radioactive green hoodie, just screams 'Phantom'!" Tuck tells me, flopping down on my bed, leaning back, arms crossed behind his head like he owned it.

I force a laugh, but what really scared me was how good I was at this, the laugh sounded natural. I feel my heart sink to my stomach, and I feel a familiar itch on my wrist, just below the skin. Sam sat at the end of the bed,not saying anything but nodded to agree with Tucker's comment. Neither one seemed to say anything else about the sudden change in my outfit,or my rush home,that meant I was in the clear right?

I swallow the lump in my throat, and I felt like I probably paled a couple shades and I definatly felt tired despite the easy fight and short flight . If my friends notice, they don't say anything, and a tiny voice in the back of my heads whispers 'Great friends they are! They don't even notice!', I quiet it by thinking that's because I don't want them to notice, but it's too late... that seed of doubt has been planted.


	3. Voices

Chapter 3: Voices

'Do they- Do they even care?' I think to myself, as I watch the strange blend of radioactive green and dark red leak from the latest of a series of cuts on my wrist, I had fifteen now. The first few healed quickly,within a day,and only a line would remain for a few days after. That didn't stop my new habit,in fact it seemed to spur it on more inside my head,and the arguments that came with it.

'No, they don't.' The tiny voice stated, 'maybe before, but now, they're just friends with you out of pity. Or they want the adventure that comes with knowing a hero,or a villain depending on whoever asks. They can't save you if your parents or Valerie gets you,not without giving you away. They'd leave you then,and you'll be alone.'

That voice, it's gotten louder now, easier to make out, more persuasive. But what really scared me the most, I didn't notice at first, since it was so quiet, but it sounded just like me.

I clean my cuts with toilet paper, and I even remember to clean my pocket knife off. I flush all of it down the toilet, I don't want my parents to get ahold of this stuff, the damage they could do with it, the secrets uncovered...

I actually bandage my wrists, and start to contemplate, 'why do I even do this to myself? It makes me feel better, but then so much worse...'

'Because you deserve it, you liar! You are constantly lying to your friends and family, to their faces! You don't deserve them! They deserve better than you!'

I squeeze my eyes shut at this, attempting to block out the voice, forget what it said, because it is so right...It felt right.

'A little pain never hurt anyone, right? I deserve it, and it's not like I'm not used to it...' Part of me agrees,and I can't tell which part it was.

I'm actually surprised at the lack of ghost activity this week... I mean, yeah, there's still the box ghost, and Skulker showed up once, but it's been pretty quite...

My musing is interrupted by my ghost sense, and I sigh,

"Well, that didn't last..."

As I prepare to shift into my ghost form, I hear the doorbell ring and I blink, 'Ghosts don't normally ring the doorbell...'

I push my sleeves down over my bandages, and peek my head out the door, just in time to hear my father answer the door with a "VLADDIE!"

'Great, Vlad's here.' I slowly travel down the stairs, if only to make sure he wasn't up to anything.

"Ah, Daniel." Vlad greets, and under his gaze, I freeze, suddenly aware of what I must look like; my normally uncooperative bangs have gone limp, and I could really use a shower. I have heavy bags under my eyes, which have gone dull. Normally robin's egg, they seem closer to Vlad's deeper blue. At least that's what I saw back in the mirror.

I almost think I see a hint of concern from him, before my dad slaps him on the back with enough force to knock the breath out of a normal person, and his expression flickered back to irritation. I take the opportunity to flee back into my room, passing Jazz on the way, her giving me a worried look. I could feel her eyes at my back,like they have been,but she hasn't seemed to caught on to what I was doing. Which led to the next question,why was Vlad there? He hates my dad and that was enough to usually keep him from our home,and all I could think of was those eyes staring up at me as I walked down the stairs. He greeted me so casually,in fact I think he focused on me before mom for once. The thought tightened in my chest,then twisted as I realized Vlad,as my enemy,was in my home,and knew about my secret identity. I knew he wouldn't say anything about it to my parents or Jazz,but he watched me too much,studied me,analyzed could,above anyone else,be the one to know something was different. He'd question it,question me.

 _' Oh shit'_


	4. Break down

Chapter 4: Breakdown

'Oh no, oh no, oh no, ^oh no!^ I do not need my archenemy and secret crush snooping around right now!' The panic set it as I made it to my room once more,treading deeper into my brain and capturing all of my senses.

It was hard to pin down when exactly I started crushing on Vlad, but I guess the saying is true, there's a thin line between love and hate. Even if I thought back to the beginning,I may not have ever hated Vlad as much as I probably should of,for my sanity. He was way older than me for one,even ignoring both of of being halfas,both of us being the only halfas. If I was being honest we had a good amount in common,and well,he looked great for his age. There was something attractive about villains sometimes,maybe this was just one of those times. That or teenage hormones don't care who they're attracted to. Not like I could ever act on those hormones,and while I felt like I should have been attracted to Paulina,or Sam even,my heart was never into the idea. It hadn't been for a while.

"Danny?" Jazz knocked on my door, peeking her head through, and I paused in my pacing,

"Y-yes?" I gave a small flinch at my stutter, and Jazz noticed.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, alright? No matter what's bothering you, I'm your sister, and I love you." She gives me a small smile,

I forcibly push down the sudden urge to cry, and give her a small, hesitant smile in return. Why did She have to say something so mushy when I was already a mess inside! She pulls her head back into the hallway, and the moment she has shut my door and I no longer hear her footsteps, I break down.

'YOU DON'T DESERVE HER LOVE, FREAK! FAGGOT! YOU THINK YOU EVEN HAVE A CHANCE WITH VLAD?! HE'S A BILLIONAIRE! AND YOU'RE JUST SOME DUMB KID! YOU'RE NOTHING TO HIM,NOTHING TO ANYONE!'

Tears flow heavily, and I try and stifle my sobs. Despite having only last cut half an hour ago, I dash into my bathroom, swiping my pocket knife off my desk on the way. This needed to stop.

Vlad POV

According to Skulker, Daniel acted differently last time he was "hunted," so I went to the Fenton's to check up on him... To make sure there have been no changes that could mess up my plans. Definitely not because I find Daniel positively adorable and was concerned, nope.

When I arrive, I am greeted by Jack, no surprise there, and am promptly given a bone-crushing hug. I turn to hear footfalls on the stairway, no doubt Daniel coming to investigate the ruckus, probably very shortly after his "ghost sense" went off.

The boy I see on the stairs... Is not my little badger, that much is clear. His hair is limp, eyes dull, and he is looking a noticeable amount thinner. I feel my mask slip, a bit of concern showing through, before Jack slaps me on the back hard, probably enough to have left me breathless if it not for me being a halfa, and I shift my face to show irritation as I hear Daniel retreat back upstairs. Running from me? The badger I know would glare, the 'what are you doing?' Written clearly across his face.

I need to investigate this further...


	5. Chapter 5 Privacy

Phantom Blade Chapter 5 : Privacy

Danny's P.O.V

Locking the bathroom door would keep most of my family out,even when the only one who had even bothered saying anything to me today was Jazz,but I knew that it wouldn't keep the real threat out should he decide to get nosy. There was a faint voice of reason in the back of my head,reminding me that,half ghost or not,there was only so much my body could take. My appetite was gone,and for the life of me I couldn't remember when that happened. With the pocket knife in hand I weighed my options against both urges. Vlad was here meaning He'd make an absolute nuisance of himself for the foreseeable future,even if I didn't exactly dislike seeing him. There was no telling when someone,Jazz,Dad,or Vlad himself,would come barging in and might see more than I was willing to let them.

I leaned back and held my breath,listening for the sound of footsteps in the hallway,a creak in the stairs,something.

 _'I just need a little more,just a little and I can stop. They don't know,they can't know.'_

The words were soothing,the nervous shakes all but fading as I flipped open the knife. I just needed something,not the pain but the relief the blade brought under my skin. The itch I couldn't scratch,caused by everything else. I was something that shouldn't exist,I was already half dead,what would anyone else understand about this? It wasn't as if anyone really cared. My parents would throw a fit,but because if they ever even noticed,they'd feel like they had to. It's ultimately fade back to how it was before. Mom obsessing over capturing and studying the ghosts they would capture,Dad going on about tearing them apart. If they said that about a human they would be called insane.

 _'Not like I can change their mind,they never listen.'_

The blade's edge danced over my skin,higher up my arm than the other scabbing cuts. I healed fast,but I didn't want to push my luck going over the same area too much,so the space below my elbow would have to do. A touch of pressure and a deep breath and the tip of the blade sank into my arm. My head tilted back and I found the light above an item to state at as I pulled the blade down. Another few breaths and I'd put the damn thing away.

Someone yelled downstairs,as in right down the stairs,and the sudden sound made me jump and the blade sunk a little deeper than I meant.

"Shit!" I swore under my breath,at least I intended to,but it hurt. Not the relieving pain either,this seriously hurt. My knife clatterd to the floor and I grabbed some toilet paper to try and stop the bleeding so I could bandage it quickly before the mix of blood and ectoplasm got somewhere I couldn't clean lines in the floor came to mind. Red soaked through first,and after a minute I tossed the toilet paper and flushed it for evidence as I had done a dozen times or more. Still the cut bled,a jagged line down the width of my elbow, and slowly panic was setting in at how quickly it bled. The sink was my next target,and with a hiss I ran cool water over the cut and hoped it just looked worse than it was. Washing over the cut at least let me see it,and it wasn't pretty or straight,so at least it suited me.

The yelling from downstairs,it sounded like Dad,stopped,but now I didn't know where the adults in the house were. At least then I knew where they were,knew they wouldn't sneak up on me. It took a couple minutes to actually get the bleeding down enough I could bandage my arm,though it felt tender and thronged as I pulled the sleeve of my hoodie down to cover it. With a sigh of relief I started cleaning up the sink,the bottom edge a faint pink still and certainly enough to bring unwanted attention should anyone other than me come into my bathroom.

'A bit conceited aren't I? It's not as if there's no other bathroom in the house,why would anyone come into mine?' I turned the water off after watching it fall down the drain and totally not holding onto the edge of the sink to keep myself upright.

'It's just because I haven't eaten dinner yet,that's all.' I told myself as if even I believed it. I'd heal,and I'd live,that's all I really expected. A little dizziness wasn't the end of the world and nothing I didn't deserve for putting my body through this when I was already working myself to the bone between school and ghost fighting. I should be able to handle this much more.

'But you can't,you're weak and just too stupid to admit when you need help from those more competent than you.' Great,now I felt dizzy and felt like shit.

Maybe because I was distracted with my own brain or the sink,but I didn't hear or feel anything off until a firm hand placed itself on my shoulder and almost made me scream. Almost in meaning another hand covered my mouth the moment it opened and blocked the sound. In a second Plasmius faded back into view,apparently having gone intangible to sneak up on me,and for what? Was he really going to fight me here with my parents right downstairs? He was smarter than that and his face didn't look smug for once.

"You certainly drop your guard when you're in your own home don't you,little badger?"

' _Oh fuck me.'_


	6. Intuition

**A.N:** _I know I know,another short chapter. Well to be honest the short chapters are working out well for me right now,especially since I'm not used to writing in first person after so long. So while the chapters are longer than their originals by a couple hundred,I see this as more of a short and sweet situation. Normally even my shorter one shots I've posted were several thousand words long,but took far longer to finish. With my work hours this will be easier for me to post and should be a relief to those who have waited a long time for this story to continue. I'm hoping for at least once a week posting,but it could end up being more or less. Ideally I can pull together gradually longer chapters._

Vlad's P.O.V

It took a fair bit longer for me to separate myself from Jack and Maddie,primarily Jack, than I would have liked. Once I managed to sneak off to the downstairs restroom and let a clone deal with them,only then could I phase up the stairs to see just for myself what had gotten under Daniel's skin. He was normally sharp,suspicious of my actions,rightfully so, and me turning up at his doorstep should have had him keeping a watchful eye on me as he had in the past. Instead he almost looked fearful,paranoid, _weak ._ Seeing him up close only amplified that feeling,and I have made most of my life beieving in that feeling.

Daniel initialy pushed and pulled against my hands,his back pinned to the sink behind him so outside of transforming he had no escape.

"Calm down Daniel,when I'm sure you won't do something foolish,I will remove my hand and we will talk,understood?" I could almost see his eyes asking 'talk about what?'. Well he'd have to listen first. I felt him let out a breath,eyes not trusting me but admittedly I haven't given him much reason to trust me. I removed my hand from his mouth slowly,but left my grip on his shoulder. His first words were not exactly a good start to a mature conversation.

"What the hell Vlad, have nothing better to do than stalk me in my bathroom? That's seriously fucked up."

"Such language" I said with a disappointed with as he pulled his shoulder away from my hand. I would have let this be and resumed my questioning,but Daniel tried to wiggle out under my arm and I just couldn't have that. I knew when someone was hiding something,even more when it was someone I took an interest in.

"Not so fast Daniel,I'm not done with you yet." I kept my tone neutral,reaching back as hr managrd to use his shorter stature to pass me. My hand found the curve of his elbow,and I intended to keep my grip light to signify my intentions as not being harmful. Daniel's sharp and quickly bit off yell as I grabbed his elbow was worrying,more when I felt something as padding below the sleeve. Skulker hadn't mentioned any significant injury to Daniel,nothing that wouldn't have been mostly healed by now and surely nothing that the hunter would have neglected to mention.

My eyes fell back to Daniel's face,expecting rage or caution,but not the feat shaking in his eyes. He was pale,more so than on the stairs,and I wondered how this condition made it passed his parents eyes. Jack made sense,he was always so incredibly,frustratingly dense. It wasn't as if I was subtle in our college days about loving Maddie,telling the oaf at least 20 times a day my feelings revolving around Maddie. Had I known back then he wasn't ignoring me out of annoyance,but out of ignorance,I would have saved my time. Maddie on the other hand,she was far more nourishing,so how did her own son's falling health escape her maternal notice?

Perhaps in my confusion my grip lessened,but not enough to allow Daniel the freedom he was so desperately attempting,and there was no exaggeration. Even though Daniel could have turned intangible to escape my grip he didn't seem to think about that,but I wasn't about to let him without answers.

"Vlad let go!" Daniel's voice was also a touch desperate,but for now I ignored his pleading in favor of taking a step closer to further pin him and reached for his sleeve.

"Vlad don't-!" I ignored him again,even as I saw his eyes flicker to the luminescent green I saw so often, I didn't stop until I tugged his sleeve down and gasped at the sight before me.

Cuts and healing scars raced down his inner arm,over his wrist and all the way to the fresh bandages above his elbow which were being bled through steadily. In my shock I must have loosened my grip,stepped back or something,because Daniel seemed to remember our nature and phased his arm out of my hand and held it to his chest. Looking over him with wide eyes,I realized how similar he looked to a cornered cat. I fully expected him to lash out at me,especially since we weren't exactly on good terms.

"Dear God Daniel,what have you done to yourself?" I didn't intend to ask him this,but the question needed asked,and he looked like he was about to bolt one way or another. Would he really risk his parents attention to get away from me? Maybe not on a normal day,by I didn't want to push my luck.

I took a slow step back from him,gave him some room to breath,something he seemed to appreciate.

"Daniel-"

"Please don't tell!" Daniel interrupted me before I could say anything else,and I was stunned by the simple fact he had asked anything of me.

"Pardon?"

"Please,Vlad,don't say anything,not to Mom,Dad,Jazz,no one. I'll do anything just don't say anything!"

 _'Well...this is not what I expected to come of today.'_


	7. Bargaining

_[A.N:_ Hey sorry about the long wait for an upload. As a couple of you have asked I still fully intend to see this to the finish,it's just been a hectic month since my last upload. Between financial troubles,work,my fiance's health and just generally being busy (and holidays coming up) I've had less time to really sit down and write (type?). I am hoping after this month things will settle down,for now please let this shorter chapter tide you guys over. I love reading the reviews and DMs so don't be shy guys and let me know how you like it. Thank you all.]

 _Danny's P.O.V_

Part of me should have realized that I should think my words through before I speak,but it didn't matter,I couldn't think at all. All that mattered is the worst possible situation had happened. Of all the people who could have found out,Vlad had the most to hold over my head,and I had just offered him anything he wanted for his silence on something no sane adult would keep quiet. He'd tell my parents,they'd freak one way or another,put me somewhere under the excuse to help and I knew it wouldn't help at all.

 _'Then again,is Vlad really someone I can call a sane adult? He'll take advantage of this.'_ Somewhere this was logical,expected,and why did this feel like it was my only hope? I never thought I'd have to rely on the fruitloop's greed as a saving grace.

 _' I'm not much saner I guess.'_

It felt like the fragile seconds stretched into hours,holding onto a cliff I couldn't see the bottom of but could feel the dread of the fall. I realized a bit late I might have been holding my breath waiting for an answer,good or bad I had to know. Like always,Vlad kept me waiting in frustration hiding as suspense,maybe not intentionally and I knew this was probably a difficult choice to make but I couldn't stand the silence. I felt the bandages at my elbow,the faint coolness of drying blood added to the cold in my body already was enough I knew I had to change the bandages already,but with Vlad still here I couldn't. Not without him seeing it all more than he already had. Finally another minute passed and I couldn't stand the silence.

"Just say something already!" I raised my voice into more of a hiss,very aware of my parents on the floor below,or worse,my sister a couple doors down.

Somewhere in my rapid breathing and frantic pulse,Vlad put his hand on my shoulder,lightly,cautiously.

"Calm down first,little Badger." I couldn't help but look up to his face,because as long as I have known this man he had never spoken to me so gently. If was both unnerving and a little settling at the same time. Somehow these normally infuriating words settled the anxiety in my chest,just a little.

"I am calm...enough. I just...need to know what you're planning,which you won't tell me and it's freaking me out. Still calm despite that though." Vlad shook his head like I was crazy,which I had to be in order to believe Vlad would even for a second want to help someone like me. Unlike our joint secret of being half ghost,keeping my secret this time didn't benefit him at all. I had to make a high offer,the Vlad Masters I knew wouldn't accept anything less. Him delaying his answer just had to be to make me suffer. It was working.

I jumped as I felt his hand move to the side of my head,rubbing my hair like he was petting a cat.

"No,you're not calm,and you're not thinking rationally. Though I suppose you rarely do." I couldn't see to be sure but I felt like he just rolled his eyes at me.

"What I want...little badger,is for you to talk to me. About this,about you,anything and everything that pops into that young head of yours. No secrets. If you keep this promise,there'll be no reason to mention your actions to your parents. Agreed?"


	8. A Helping Hand

(Hello again my lovelies. As I stated last chapter holidays could be a little busy for me,So I didn't even get the tine to start writing this until recently. I got a new drawing tablet and program do I've been focusing on that for now and hopefully will open up comissions again on certain sites,is the goal anyway.

Edit: so this chapter was started months ago and I've had a lot going on. I've just started a new job and had a few issues with one of my dogs. I've gotten a few DMs and a dew reviews asking me to continue or checking up on me. Thank you for that.)

 **Danny's P.O.V.**

' _I can't believe this.'_ I told myself this for the last 30 minutes,tried to tell myself this wasnt happening,but the fresh bandages over my forearm told a different story regardless of how I didn't want to hear it.

 _'I don't need help,least of all his.'_ More things I didn't want to hear,but I couldn't help it either.

Watching out my bedroom window,I could barely see Vlad getting into his car,if not before receiving another hug from my dad that looked like it might have hurt.

' _Serves him right,getting into my business.'_ The voice in my head sounded bitter,but I didn't know if that was how I felt. It's true,there was no way for me to know that Vlad would sneak into my room,let alone my _bathroom_ , but I should have been more aware that he could. That was my fault. Now the most influential person in town knew both my secrets and could readily expose them if I didn't follow through on my end.

 _' I don't even know what he wants yet.'_ The simple fact his number was in my phone brought with it mixed emotions. On one hand,Vlad Masters had given me his phone number with strict insinuations that he would be in touch,often. On the other,no hormonal crush,or masochistic tendency to fall for people who want nothing to do with me, could stop the fact he was a powerful man as well as ghost in both worlds.

I could almost hear his smug voice in my head saying ' _checkmate.'_

After essentially cornering me into agreeing to stay in contact,though I guess I did offer,Vlad had taken my phone put his number in as an emergency contact,leaving me to decide the name of the contact. I was tempted to title it 'pain in the ass' but decided against it last minute. Instead the number just became 'V'. I carried my phone on me most of the time anyway,but now I felt I had to guard it,or at least lock it. The thought had never occured to me before,I had nothing to hide then. The faint throb in my arm reminded me of the lie that was.

I didn't realize just how much Vlad would keep an eye on me. I knew he had cameras in a lot of public places,hell security was one of his key points in getting re-elected as mayor last year. Back then,Sam and Tucker,especially Tucker, felt he would use this to spread more bad rumors about me or my parents like he had before. We thought He was being petty and invasive before,they'd freak if they knew I had reason to believe he was actually keeping a close,or closer,eye on me. Of course,that would imply I'd tell them,but I couldn't see myself telling them why I thought that.

 _'Yet another secret to keep from them. Some friend I am.'_

The weekend came and went before I could even enjoy it,not like I was enjoying much of anything. Skulker had paid another visit,but did less fighting and more taunting than anything,a game of cat anf mouse where the cat just toyed with its prey without ever making more than a threatening gesture. In the end Skulker just vanished. I had to lie to Sam and Tucker about handling him,and no sooner than I had returned to my room I got another text from Vlad 'checking up on me', as he put it.

The questions Vlad asked were odd,random,then direct. He'd ask me about school,then my friends or sister,then ask if Mom noticed anything odd about me yet. He didn't even mention my Dad, but given his opinion of him I could see why. Still I was more or less forced to answer. Even when the questions went to the topic of my knife which Vlad had luckily not found. Even if I haven't used it since that night ,the blade was never far from my mind. After the last run in with Skulker it was even closer than before. But Vlad would know,I know he would,because somehow the man came to know every single fucking detail of my life whenever it suited him,save one or two.

Thankfully,Vlad's texts were answered easily with short words and hopefully enough textspeak to confuse him and share just a fraction of the frustration he was causing me.

My phone buzzed in my hand as I laid out over my bed,and automatically I read the message.

 _"Please speak properly,I know your grade in English is due to your laziness more than your lack of understanding. Perhaps you should work on that tonight, little badger."_

The pet name persisted through every text,all signed the same way and with a general sense of unease and uncertainty of why he used it. I always thought he was mocking me,sometimes it still felt that way,just without all the malice I thought was there. All he seemed to do was check up on me,though how he knew my grades I could only guess he was spying on me at school too. Wasn't exactly a far leap to make for someone as wealthy as him.

I couldn't complain too much when it came to Vlad,I offered him anything for silence and this was apparently his price. At least no one in my house seemed to suspect anything with my phone near constantly in my hand. I guess to them I just seemed like a normal teenager,for once. Jazz however kept her eye on me when I wss out of my room,including offering to drive me to school in the mornings. I refused every time,afraid if I told get yes it would end in me being trapped in a conversation I didn't want. She meant Well but she was too smothering. I just couldn't deal with that and unfortunately I preferred Vlad's checking in over text to her breathing down my neck. Still I saw her hovering,more than before anyway. If I couldn't get her to lay off there was a chance she'd find out about the ghost hunting too,and as much as she went on about our parents profession that wasn't exactly something we could consider family bonding,not when our parents were attempting to hunt me too.

For the next few hours Vlad left me alone,sort of,but right before I was going to lay down to sleep my phone beeped again.

 _'"I'll be seeing you tomorrow after school,don't hide."_ Well didn't that sound ominous. Still if he was saying this it wasn't like I could hide,he'd find me anyway. Of course the simple questions of where and when ran through my mind. As long as Vlad wasn't so sadistic as to pull me away in front of Sam and Tucker,I guess I couldn't complain too much.

In the morning everything seemed almost too normal. Classes sucked,Sam and Tucker talked around me but other than a few hums and forced laughs they were content to go on amongst their business without me. Dash pushed into me and knocked me into a locker in passing,at least it wasn't anything else. How was it all of my crushes were people who wanted to crush me,into metal or pavement?

 _'Wonder if that makes me a masochist or just really stupid.'_ I was tempted to believe the second. Dash was one thing,my age for juat an example.

 _'Human.'_ This shouldn't matter as much as it felt it did. Dash,if he wasn't such an asshole,wouldn't understand anything I was feeling or thinking,even if I told him I was Danny Phantom,someone he seems to look up to,he wouldn't understand what it's like to be half ghost. Yet it was the human feelings that kept holding me back. My crush on Vlad,we'll it felt different somehow,but the man was twice my age and wanted to kill/adopt me.

 _'If he wanted me dead he's had dozens of chances,he's toying with me,like a damn cat.'_

Needless to say I wasn't looking forward to tomorrow.

By the time I got up in the morning I was almost late for school,woken up only by Sam's ringtone with 10 minutes until the first bell. Thankfully my clothes were clean and mostly the same So I didn't have to worry about them not matching. A quick fly to the back of the school and I managed to get into my locker and get my things before the first bell rung. The sound was still echoing in my eara when I slid into my chair,Sam looking questioningly at me where I could only shrug in response before ignoring yet another lesson. I know I probably should have been paying attention but there wasn't much point. I had too much on my mind with Vladsl's wprds looming over me along with the rest of the shit in my head. I could only half keep up what page we were even on the entire hour and the next class wasn't any better.

I didn't eat much at luncI,though that had been a theme lately anyway so it probably didn't look weird to anyone by now. Nothing ever sounded good and there were times I was just done with something after a few bites. Thankfully Tucker was more than willing to take leftovers that Sam turned her nose at.

The realization I was running out of time until I had to meet Vlad again was almost dizzying,or maybe that was just how quickly I stood up from our table. I really didn't want go deal with him and didn't even know why he wanted to meet. Wasn't forcing me into texting him daily enough?

 _'Of course it's not enough,he'll keep this over my head forever and I let him. Hell I gave him fucking permission!'_ I did not need those kind of thoughts making me panic,especially in public with no way to make it stop until I get home. Which I couldn't do until after I met with Vlad and got him off my back. _Great._

 _'There's no escaping this,there's nothing I can do anymore. He'll know,he knows everything,he'll find out if I lie.'_

"Danny?" Sam's voice shook me from my thoughts,probably a good thing with how they were going. I looked around,pulse pounding in my chest,and realized I was still standing by our table in a now empty cafeteria.

"Sorry,a little tired is all" I managed to lie after a second to let my thoughts catch up. This seemed to settle her worry that felt so misplaced to me.

"I think we can tell,you were almost late todaym. Long night?" Sam asked slowly and carefully,reminding me too much of Jazz and her nosing.

"Yeah something like that." I mumbled my answer and gathered my things to move onto the next class.

The final bell sounded more like a death chime,ironic being half ghost but no less true. This was only more true because I didn't know where Vlad would turn up,I could only trust that he was watching somewhere like some kind of stalker or serial killer I unwillingly let into my house and my life.

 _'Fuck I sound crazy.'_

Sam and Tucker walked with me to the end of the road befode splitting off,but I didn't want to walk back home just yet. Anything to avoid the fruitloop as long as I could. I thought about going invisible and just laying low,but those typed words popped back into my head. _Don't hide._

 _'Well fuck me'_ If I were to try that he'd find a way to find me and would give me hell for it. No,he'd make my life hell,more than it was anyway. I felt a headache forming behind my eyes and really just wanted to lay down and forget everything. I just walked in a straight line,one foot after another and only vaguely aware of the world around. That was at least until a sudden chill that came just from my ghost sense. Looking up I didn't see anything odd,nothing floating,no one screaming or running. Everything looked fine and ,dare I say,normal? Something still _felt_ wrong and that feeling hit the stratosphere when I felt something touch my face and pull. For a second my vision passed in a blur until I realized just what was happening the same time I was let free.

"What the hell Vlad!" I snapped,spinning around to see Vlad as Plasmius behind me as we stood in what looked to be a brick alley.

"You make it sound as if I did something wrong Daniel. We did talk about this already." He chatised me and shook his head as if he was treating me like a child. I guess in comparison I was but that wasn't the point!

"You didn't have to get so grabby,I was expecting you but not like that. Way to be a creep."

"Well had you actually paid attention to your surroundings I wouldn't have needed to come to such measures. Really Daniel if it were any other ghost you could have gotten yourself into trouble. _Again._ Or need I remind you that you are just a magnet for trouble?" He looked at me with Something between smug and pity and I did not appreciate that look.

"No,and I don't need _you_ reminding me of what I'm already painfully aware of. I get in trouble,I fuck up but _I_ handle it. On my own,without you needing to step in." My voice raised in volume and I was almost afraid of being overheard. Then I remembered that Vlad wouldn't take me somewhere that would put him at risk either.

Vlad waved his hand slowly,and it felt like he was patronizing me and that was just pissing me off more.

"Easy little badger,you and I both know you had your friends help you in the bad times. But since you seem unwilling to ask for their help now,I _do_ have to step in,otherwise you're going to end up getting yourself killed."

His tone was soft but serious, not quite a whisper but the words felt like nails on glass to my head. The idea was there now,maybe it was always there. What would happen if I took this too far? Was it an escape or a trap. Would I die or just be a ghost. With only two halfas,both now in the same room,the possibilities were endless without testing them. Did I even want to test them? I got two immediate answers and that was too much for me to think about right now.

"Well I'm not going to and it's not really your problem. Just leave me alone."

"I can't do that Daniel. You don't understand how dangerous what you're doing is" Now this pissed me off proper. I turned on my heels and stopped myself from walking away like the rational part of me wanted to. No rationality flew out the window faster than it took me to take a breath.

"No _you_ don't understand. How the fuck could you ever understand anything about my life! You could have anything you want and more that you dont just because you're Vlad fucking Masters! You don't _have_ to do anything. I have school to fail,friends and family to lie to and a city to keep sane the you are _so_ not helping with. I can't even be a teenager and date anyone because I can't afford for them to find out who I am and I don't really know either! Now on top of all the hero work and school I have to keep building this tower of lies and you won't let me have the one thing, the one _fucking_ thing that makes me feel something. That makes me feel _alive!_ So go on,tell my parents,hell,tell the neighbors while you're at it Im sure they'll love to know." I was angry,breathless,and dizzy by the time the words stopped,but I didn't care. It felt good to let some of the anger out. If only it didn't feel so empty after.

Vlad was silent for a minute,maybe two,and I was glad I had a minute to breathe before the dread set in and panic began to form in my head. The one man holding my secrets I just told to fuck off and tell everyone. _Fuck._

"You're wrong Daniel,I understand perfectly what you're going through. So very well in fact I know where those thoughts lead. I lost so much because of your father, his mistake, _our_ mistake. I lost my health,my best friend,a woman I swore I was in love with,my reputation as a scientist. I may have gained my fame and fortune with this curse,but I lost anything kept me human. Spiritually speaking of course. So I see you struggling with the same demons I had for years of my life,and I just want to help before it consumes you entirely."

His words were still softspoken,but he kept his distance,and when his words finally registered I couldn't believe them.

"Why? Why wouod you want to help me? We're enemies Vlad." I watched as he shook his head.

"We don't have to be. I could help you,teach you,train you to conquer your demons and your powers. You just have to trust me." I watched as he held his hand out in the air between us,a silent question.

I rolled my eyes.

"Why would I want to do something stupid like that?"

"Because Daniel." He began " Sometimes you have to learn to accept a helping hand." My eyes could not roll hard enough but I did look back at his hand first. Did I want to stay like this? Of course not. Could I really trust Vlad not to make this some weird steal my mom plot? No. I couldn't do nothing,this was driving me crazy every day and I waa pushing everyone away. They'd find out eventually and then what will that leave me? Alone and bitter.

"You...are one seriously fucked up fruitloop." I whispered with a shake of my head as I reached out and took his hand.

 _'Better the devil you know.'_


End file.
